Aro Tröllö Phurba
the face of Dorje Tröllö and the tsé-gu dorje
Phurbas are usually made with three faces – indicative of Dorje Phurba – but this phurba is a weapon associated with Dorje Tröllö and therefore shows the single face of this yidam.The other factor which shows this to be a Tröllö phurba is the fact that the fangs of the yidam are biting the lower lip. This close-up of the Aro Tröllö Phurba shows the unique aspect of Tröllö with the five-skull crown. Usually Dorje Tröllö is depicted without the usual wrathful five-skull crown – but within the Aro gTér – Dorje Tröllö and Tsogyel Tröllö both wear the five-skull crown. The nine-prong vajra or tsé-gu dorje is another typical aspect of the vajra weapons of the Aro gTér lineage of the Nyingma tradition. (At the time this picture was taken – the phurba was not in personal use – which is why it has been permitted for the face to be shown.)
